Willful, whimsical, free to imagine, free of care, free of responsibility, accountable to no one, unaware of obligation or loyalty or honor or the future, heedless of the past, one with the moment, perfectly beautiful, perfectly open, perfectly cruel, perfect in every good and bad way and unaware of every good and bad way, a young child is like a god, beyond human understanding or knowledge and unaware of either. His world is now and now and now.
And like a god, the love of a child is perfect: unconditional, freely given and eternal in his eyes.
We cannot abide that perfection and must teach our children how to live in this, our world. It will soon enough be theirs and they will have need of what knowledge we can give and to know how to take care of this sudden present and future world and how to take care of and love each other. And so, they will come come to know perfection when comes the time their children are new.
Thoughts?
Pax,
Nelson
2 comments:
Yes, I am convinced that the innocence of children is ruined by the efforts of adults to make them "functioning people". I think we see a need to help them operate in the "real word" by stifling their unbridled creativity. Instead of seeing their multiple questions of "Why Not?" as wonderful opportunities for us to also challenge the status quo, we put on a Finding Nemo DVD or push a Nintendo Wii controller into their hands to shut them up. As a parent, I am doing my best to view the world with the same sense of wonder and desire to truly understand it that I see in my children.
It will be increasingly difficult to do so. And as you no doubt know, it will require practice. I can (and often do) easily forget to make the attempt. Eventually, my child reminds me of the ways... Thanks for stopping by.
Pax,
N.
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